SpaceAtlas Space Object Data
NASA JPL SBDB · 2020 S2

PANSTARRS

PANSTARRS follows a distinctly cometary orbit: an eccentricity of 0.828 carries it from 1.756 AU at perihelion out to 18.604 AU at aphelion.

comet Observations: 96
Orbital Period · P
32.5 yr
v(q)
30.4 km/s
v(Q)
2.9 km/s
TJ
1.96
Eccentricity · e
0.8275

Orbit and dynamics

The path is an ellipse reaching 1.756 AU from the Sun at perihelion and 18.604 AU at aphelion, a radial span of 16.848 AU.

Applying Kepler's third law to a = 10.18 AU gives an orbital period of 32.5 yr, or about 11,863 days.

The high eccentricity (0.828) produces a strongly elongated orbit, so the object spends most of its time far from the Sun.

A steep inclination of 22.4° carries it well above and below the ecliptic plane.

By the vis-viva equation its orbital speed rises to 30.4 km/s at perihelion and falls to 2.9 km/s at aphelion.

Its Tisserand parameter with respect to Jupiter is T_J = 1.96, a standard discriminator between asteroidal and cometary dynamics.

Size and surface

Neither a measured diameter nor a reliable absolute magnitude is available for PANSTARRS, so its physical size remains unconstrained.

Observation record and orbit quality

The current orbit solution is based on 96 observations and has a weighted RMS residual of 0.5583 arcseconds.

Condition code U = 4 indicates a moderately constrained orbit; predictions decades ahead still carry noticeable uncertainty.

About these computed values

Orbital periods, perihelion and aphelion speeds, and diameter estimates on this page are computed by SpaceAtlas from the JPL SBDB orbital elements. They are derived quantities, not values copied from the source catalogue.

Orbital Parameters

Semi-Major Axis
10.18 AU
Eccentricity
0.8275
Perihelion
1.756 AU
Aphelion
18.60395 AU
Inclination
22.4°
Orbital Period
— yr
Epoch
2459137.5
Mean Anomaly
357.94°

Orbit diagram

The Sun sits at the focus (orange). Earth's orbit is the grey circle at 1 AU. The red dot marks the object's position at the catalog epoch.

3D orbit (interactive)

Drag to rotate; scroll or pinch to zoom. The Sun is at the focus (orange), Earth's orbit is the grey ring at 1 AU, and the red dot marks the object's current position.

Close approaches

No close approaches to Earth are currently on record for this object.

Physical Parameters

Diameter
— km
Albedo
—
Density
— g/cm³
Rotation Period
— h
Absolute Magnitude
—

Orbit Quality

RMS
0.55832
Condition
4
Orbit ID
—
Data source: NASA JPL Small-Body Database . Orbital periods, perihelion and aphelion speeds, and diameter estimates on this page are computed by SpaceAtlas from the JPL SBDB orbital elements. They are derived quantities, not values copied from the source catalogue.

Keep exploring

Explore asteroids, comets and near-Earth objects with JPL orbital data.